Illegal Immigrants

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons proceeded against as illegal immigrants in each 12 months period ending in September, in each year from 1980 to 1985, inclusive.

Information on persons dealt with as illegal entrants is published quarterly in the Home Office statistical bulletins on the control of immigration statistics. Figures for the periods requested are given in the following table.

Persons against whom action was commenced as illegal entrants

Number of persons

12 months ending September—

1980

1,509

1981

11,120

1982

11,110

1983

986

1984

903

1985

1,083

(1) Rounded to the nearest 10 as precise figures are not available for the quarters of 1981.